Reciprocating and locking means for dies or the like



Feb. 1, 1949. c, RQEHR] 2,460,658

V RECIPROCATING AND LOCKING MEANS FOR DIES OR THE LIKE Filed June 9,1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 1, 1949. V c. ROEHRI 2,460,658

RECIPROCATING AND LOCKING MEANS FOR DIES OR THE LIKE Filed June 9, 19453 Sheets-Sheet 2' 4 f'u/eni ar" Carl Eoerzl I g l 39 24 gal Feb. 1,1949. c. ROEHRI 2,460,658

RECIPROCATING AND LOCKING MEANS FOR DIES OR THE LIKE Filed June 9, 1945v 3 Sheets-Sheet J5 21 2/ 39- 4 15 J6 52 g}: 1 35 4 5 j 3/ 33 410 1 a4?5 Ag l/l I!!! ll fi & 32 7 A fnveni or'" Ca. T'Z 1P0 eAr zl Z0464 i y iPatented Feb. 1, 1949 OFFICE RECIPROCATING AND LOCK iNG MEAN S. FOR DIESOR THE LIKE Carl Roehrij Chicago, Ill.

Application June 9, 1945, Serial No. 598,546

members that 'are'movable. into and out of a predetermined position,such as the head of a press or diecasting machine, or similar device, inwhich a movablehead. carries a die, or similar member, that is adaptedto be moved into cooperative relation to another die or similar member.Itis apurpose of my invention to provide means for moving such a memberback and forth into and. out of such cooperative relation to another.member and locking the same in position at'the end of its movement inone direction, said position being that in which said member is incooperative relation to'a cooperating fixed member.

' It is a particular purpose of my invention to provide means for movingand locking a member in the above referred to manner, comprising a framehaving guiding means for said member, actuating means for said membercomprising a reciprocable member, and means connecting said reciprocablemember and the guided member including links that are pivotallyconnected with said guidedmember which are connected with therec-iprocable member, crank-like members that are pivotally connectedwith said links and which are adapted to engage with fixed shafts on theframe so as to swing around the axes of said shafts to align thepivotsconnecting the links and the crank-like members with the axes of saidshafts andthe pivots connecting the links and the member that isto belocked in a certain position. F

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a moving and lockingmeans for such amemher as above referred to that will operate in anyposition and which can provide as wide an opening in the machine betweenthe fixed and movable members as may be desired. In order to accomplishthis the above referred to links are made long and the length of theselinks can be varied as may be desired to get the opening between thefixed and movable die or. similar members that may be desired, withoutin any manner interfering with the locking action of the mechanism.

It is an important purpose of my invention to provide va mechanism ofthe above mentioned character, in which'the load that is created, forexample, in a die casting machine by the pressure of the metal enteringthe dies, is taken off the pivotsabove referred to and is transferreddirectly through the members to the shafts fixed on the frame from thehead or similar member that carries the die or other part to which theload is being applied; This is accomplished by 18 Claims. ((174-106) Myinvention relates to locking devices for 33 iding enlargements orrounded heads on the ends of the links that fit in corresponding socketsin the crank-like members and in suitable formationson themember thatis'moved into and out of locking position, said enlargements or roundedheads being seated in said sockets when the parts are in lookingposition so as to transfer the load directly through the material of thelinks and the crank-like members to the fixed shafts and thus to theframe.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a meohanismof theabove mentioned chare acter having a member that/is reciprocated bymeans of a piston operating in a cylinder, which is actuated by fluidpressure means, to which short links are pivotally connected, which inturn are connected with the long links that are pivoted to the memberthat is to be moved back and forth and. locked in position at the end ofits movement in one direction, the pivotal connection between said linksalso serving as a pivotal mou-ntingfor the crank-like members that havehook-line bearing portions that are movable into andout'of engagementwith the fixed shaft-like members above referred to, and. to providemeans for guiding said hook like bearing members into engagement withsaid fixed shaft-like members in one direction of movement of the partsand out of engagement'therewith in a position to be readily againengaged therewith upon movement of the parts in the reverse direction.

.Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thedescription of the drawings proceeds. I desire to haveit understood,however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the particular detailsshown or described, except as defined in the claims.

In thedrawings: I

Fig. 1 is atop plan view partly in section of my improved means formoving a member into a predetermined position and locking it in suchposition, the operating cylinder being partly broken away showing theparts in locking position.

- Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section taken on a line correspondingsubstantially to the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, but showing the parts in anunlocked position with the movable member in its furthestj withdrawnposition from the stationary cooperating member.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the operating mechanismin an intermediate position with the crank-like members ready to engagewith the stationary shaft-like members, and Fig; l is a sectional viewsimilar to Fig. 2 partly broken away, showing the parts in lookingposition.

Referring in detail to the drawings, my im-' proved mechanism for movinga member into cooperative relation to another member and looking itagainst movement out of such cooperating relation comprises a framehaving an end plate '6 and a pair of bar-like members I, which areconnected by means of ayoke-like member 8, one of said bar-like members7 being provided with a base portion 9 and said plate-like member havinga base portion H], which base portions 9 and It are adapted to bemounted on a suitable support. The members and I are connected by meansof round bars I I, which are provided with threaded end portions [2,with which the nuts i3 cooperate to clamp said members '6 and '1 to saidround bars and thus fix the parts 1 and Ii relative to each other. Fourof said round bars are provided, extending parallel to each other andslidably mounted on said round bars are the sleeves I4, which fit saidround bars closely so as. to. accurately; guide the movements of thehead t5, extending between and fixed to said sleeve-like. members M bywelding or in any other similar manner, in its movements; so that saidhead will have a straight line movement parallel to the of the.rou-imjbars 1 i.

A cylinder [6 is fixedly mounted on the yoke.- like member 8 the end ofsaidcylinder being shown as being seated in; -circular groove in thetransverse portion of said yoke-like member and as beingprovided withahead l7; through which e; ondu t '8- enter tor u p is. fl id der pres.-

s r s the o side f the P ston I9, said conduit serving, of; course, 0.discharge fluid when fluid under pressure. is supplied through; the.conduit extending through the head 21 to; the other side I piston it. Abearing sleeve 22; extends t; gh the yoke -8 and through the head 21' toprovide a sliding fit for the piston. rod or plunger 2-3 fixed to thepiston 19; in, any suitable inm ner. It will be obvious that anysuitable valve means can be provided for supplying thenuid under.pressure to. move thepiston t9. in: a desired direction. a

A; pair of fixed transversely extending shafts 25: is provided,extending between the bar-like members 1 of; the frame in parallelism toeach other. A block 125' is fixedly secured: to. the piston rod o pluner 23,. the; connection, preferably, being. a screw-threaded one asshown in the drawings, The, block. 25. is. provided with suit ableopenings for receiving the. pivot pins; 28.. for pivotallyconnecting.the links. 29 with, said block 25. It will be noted uponreierence toFig. 2 that when the piston I9 is at the limit of its n ovementin areturn direction the links 29,, will extend forwardly from the block 25and. slightly inwardly toward each-other, whilein thepositi'on. shown inFig. 4 when the piston-1.9 is at the limit of its forward movement thelinks 29 extend substantiallyin a straight line: with each othertransversely of the piston rod 23 and of the. reeiprocable memberorblock 25.

The. head 15 is provided with a pair of pivot ears 3.00m. each endthereof adjacent the. sleevelike members l4 and with a lone pivotalbearing 3i spaced from the ears 3.0 at each end of said head -l5. Apivot pin 32 is mounted in. the bear-. ing member 31' and the ears ateach. end. of the head, and said pivot pin pivotally connects one end.oteaIc'hof the. long links 33 with the head" l5. Partly circularbearings 34 forming sockets for the rounded enlargements or heads 35 onthe links 33 are provided on the member I5. There are two heads 35 oneach link 33, as will be obvious from Figs. 1 and 4, and these have thepivot pins 32 extending. therethrough, said heads 35 being provided onthe arms 36 provided on each link 33. Each link 33 is also providedwitha pairof-oppositely extendingarms 31, which are provided withrounded heads orenlargements 38 thereon, similar to the heads 35, whichreceive the pivot pins 39 connecting the links 29 to the links 33. Itwill be noted that the pivots 32 are in alignmentwith the stationaryshafts 24.

Also mounted on the pivot pins 39 are cranklike members 49, there beingone of said members 4% for each of the shafts 24. Each member has ahook-like body portion 4| providing apartially circular bearing portion42 on opposite sides of which lie forwardly extending portions 43 and 44one of said forwardly extending portions 4 1' being beveled, as will beobvious from Figs. '2', 3 and 4, and being continuous between the framemembers 1.. The other forwardly extending portion 43; tapers to a bluntpoint 45 so as to provide a fiaringmouth for the hook-like portion 41'lead"- ing into the bearing opening 42. Upon reference to Fig. 1 it willbe noted that the forwardly extending portion 43 is interrupted so as toprovide openings to' receive the heads 38; bearing socket portions 43being provided on the members 40, which. are partially circular andreceive the. dircular enlargements or heads 38 on the,- links. 33 when.the parts are. in the position shown in Figs 1 and 4. The rear portionsof the members l'llare provided with a plurality of, cars. 41,.throughwhich the pivot pins 39. extend, said pivot pinsthus 00.11". nesting theears. 41 on the members 4.0 with. the heads .38. and. with the links29., thev links '29 at the ends. thereof engaged by said. pins 3.9 beingreceived between the: enlargement. 48 on the rear of each member 45' andone. of the ears 4]. The hook-like body portions of the membersv 4B. areprovided. with recesses. 49. to accommodate the links. '29. whenthe-parts are. in, the position. shown in Fig. 2- and moved throughtheposition shown in Fig. 3. toward the position. shown in Fig. 4. a V

'Ijlre links 33 may be made of any'desi'red length to get. the desiredspacing bet-ween the head lfiandthe fixed figarne member t'toget theprop r spacin of: th st tionary i 1 1 me able die 52, or other similarcooperating mem bers 5d and 5t mounted-,. respectively, on the frame;and on the movable member 25;. Ibis sometimes. desirable to get a verybigspacing between. the members-5,9vand-5slj to nQoornmodate a; longpart that may be fiormed between the; dies. 59: and 5:1: or which may beotherwise op;-v erated on .bymembershtrand 5A in apparatus: oithecharacter :descri bed. size opening be tween the members; 55 and 56 canthe obtained. that may be desired, by providingl i-nksj33: of theproper-length and a cylinder 43 of such length that the stroke of thepiston i-9-can be" madeflong enough to provide the length of stroke ofthe member 15 that is required for the desired opening, The forwardlyextending portion 43 is provided with; plane faced portions. 5'2aligning with the. straight sides 53, of. the links 33..sc as tosuppor'tsa'idi'links in proper osition. when the parts. are in the position.shown inFlg. 2 to guide. thesame toward the position: shown in Fig. 3.Said; faces 52 and. 53- also; serve to guide the links 33 from theposition shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 2 as the return movementof the piston 19 takes place.

-The member is provided with rounded corners 26, which engage therounded rear sides 2'| of the hook-like crank members as the member 25moves from the position shown in Fig. 3 toward that shown in Fig. t tomove the socket portions 42 thereof into engagement with the shafts 24.After such engagement has occurred said rounded corners and subsequentlythe side faces of the members 25, as movement toward the position shownin Fig. 4 continues, hold said hook-like members in engagement with saidshafts. The rounded corners 26 also cooperate with the rounded rearsides 2? of the crank-like members 40 to guide the same as said members40 move out of engagement with the shafts 24 and thus support the upperlink 33 'as viewed in the drawings as the parts move out of the positionshown in Fig. 4, toward that shown in Fig. 3. At the same time the lowerlink 33 is supported by engagement of the faces 52 and 53 above referredto. e

In operation, the initial position of the parts before'the member 51 ismoved toward and into cooperative relation with the member 5.; is thatshown in Fig. 2 As the piston H3 is moved toward the left in Fig. 2 thetapering end portions of the hook-like members 46 are positioned betweenthe stationary shafts 2d and the links 33 and are thus held in suchposition that the members 43 are guided into the position shown in Fig.3. The bearing sockets 42 of the members 40 are next moved intoengagement with the stationary shafts 2G and begin their rotationalmovement therearound. As the crank-like members 4%! swing around on thepivots 39 due to the movement of the block 25 toward the left, thepivots 39 are thrown outwardly away from each other and the links 29finally assume a position perpendicular to the links 33 and to the axisof the piston rod or plunger 23. When this position is reached thepivots 32,39 and the axes of the shafts 24 are in alignment. Also therounded heads 35 and 38 are seated in the bearing sockets 3d and 48, andthus any pressure that will be exerted in the useof the mchanism on thehead It: will be transferred directly through the bearing sockets 34 andenlarged heads to the links 33, and through the enlarged heads 33 onthese links to the bearing sockets 46 on the members All. There willthus be no shearing force exerted on the pivots 32 and 33, but thepressure will be transferred directly through these parts from the headl5'to the fixed shafts 24 and thus to the frame.

The position of the parts when such alignment of the pivots as abovereferred to takes place is that shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The member 5|carried by the reciprocable head I5 is then looked in cooperativerelation to the member carried by the frame. Such position of the partsis maintained as long as maybe desirable to carry out the operation thatthe members 59 and 5| perform. When it is desired to move the member 5!away from the member 50 fluid is supplied through the conduit 20 to movethe piston l9 to the right in Fig. 4, whereupon the crank-like members40 will be rotated around the shafts 24' toward the position shown inFig. 3 and finally will be moved to the position shown in 'Flg. 2, thelinks 33 and said members 40 being supported and guided in theirmovements as above described and finally assuming the position shown inFig. 2 ready to be moved to move T. the head l5 toward the frame member6 to ree peat the, operation of bringing the member-5| into cooperatingrelation with the member 50 and to lock the same in such position. 7

What I claim-is:

1. Means for moving a member back and forth and locking'the same inposition at the endaof its movement in one direction, comprising a framehaving guiding means for said member, recip-I rocable means, linkspivotally connected withsaid reciprocable means, pivotally connectedwithsaid member and with said first mentioned links, shafts fixed on saidframe and cranks pivotally connected with both said links and mounted toswing into engagement with and about said shafts to align the pivotsconnecting said links.

to each other with the pivots connecting said first mentioned links andsaid member and the axes of said shafts.

2. Means for moving a member back'and forth and locking the same inposition at the end of its movement in one direction, comprising .a'

frame having guiding means for said member, reciprocable means, linkspivotally connected with said reciprocable means, links pivotallyconnected with said member and with said first menti'oned links, shaftsfixed on said frame and members pivotally connected with said links-andhaving hooklike bearing portions detachably engaging with said shafts toswing said members about the same. I

3. Means for moving a member back and forth and locking the same inposition at the end of mentioned links, shafts fixed on said frame andcranks pivotally connected with said links and having. bearing portionsthereon movable intoengagement with said shafts to swing said cranksabout said shafts to align the pivots connecting said links to eachother with the pivots connecting said first mentioned links and saidmember and-theaxes of said shafts, as saidend'of the movement of saidmember in said one direction is reachedand movable out of engagementwith said shafts during the movementof said member in the oppositedirection.

4.- Means for moving a member back and forth and locking the same inposition at the end of,

its movement in one direction, comprising a frame having guiding meansfor said member, reciproca'ble means, links pivotally connected! withsaid reciprocable means, links pivotally connected with said member andwith said first mentioned links, shafts fixed on said frame having theiraxes in alignment with the pivotal connection between said member andsaid links, and means connected with the pivots connecting said linksand detachably engaging said shafts to swing said last mentioned pivotseach into a position between and in alignment with one of said axes andthe pivot connecting said member andlink aligning'with said axis. f

5. Means for moving a member 'back and forth and locking the same inposition at the end of its movement in one direction, comprising a framehaving means for constraining said member to movement in a straightline, reciprocable means, links pivotally connected with said member,links pivotally connected with said reciprocable means, pivots fixed onsaid frame frame and members pivotally connected with said links andhaving hook-like bearing portions detachably engaging with said shaftsto swing said members about the same to align the pivotal connectionbetween each long link and member having said hook-like Portion with itspivotal connection with. said first mentioned member and the axis of thecooperating shaft, said long links having enlargements at the endsthereof and said members having sockets receiving said enlargements.

15. Means, for moving a member back and forth and locking the same inposition at the end of its movement in one direction, comprising a framehaving guiding means for said member, reciprocable means, linkspivotally connected with said reciprocable means, links pivotallyconnected with said member and with said first mentioned links, shaftsfixed on said frame and members pivotally connected with said links andhaving hook-like bearing portions detachably engaging with said shaftsto swing said members about the same, said reciprocable means and saidhook-like portions having cooperating means thereon to move saidhook-like portions into rotative engagement with said shafts.

16. Means for moving a member back and forth and locking the same inposition at the end of its movement in one direction, comprising a framehaving guiding means for said member, reciprocable means, linkspivotally connected with said reciprocable means, links pivotallyconnected with said member and with said first mentioned links, shaftsfixed on said frame and members 10 reciprocable means, links pivotallyconnected with said member and with said first mentioned links, shaftsfixed on said frame and members pivotally connected with said links andhaving hook-like bearing portions detachably engaging with said shaftsto swing said members about the same, said reciprocable means and saidhook-like portions having cooperating means thereon tohold saidhook-like portions in rotative engagement with said shafts during aportion of the releasing movement thereof and guide said hook-likeportions toward shaft disengaging position to complete the release ofsaid shafts by said hook-like portions.

18. Means for moving a member back and forth and locking the same inposition at the end of its movement in one direction, comprising a framehaving guiding means for said member, reciprocable means, linkspivotally connected with said reciprocable means, links pivotallyconnected with said member and with said first mentioned links, shaftsfixed on said frame, cranks pivotally connected with said links andmounted to detachably engage and swing about said shafts to align thepivots connecting said links to each other with the pivots connectingsaid first mentioned links and said member and the axes of said shafts,and means on said cranks engaging said shafts to guide said cranksduring their return movement after detachment of said cranks from saidshafts.

CARL ROEHRI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

